Dreamcatcher
by phantome101
Summary: Orphaned at a young age, she believes in fate as little as she believes in creatures of the night until both comes to her door a month prior to halloween, causing her world to change...
1. prologue

Prologue

A gentle breeze dances about the leaves, silently preparing every living creature for sunrise. At that moment, the trees whisper among themselves, spreading news of an imposter, a fraud, a nightmare.

As dawn comes slowly and gracefully, spreading its warm golden cloak from the far horizon, it is met by the imposter who taunts nature's gentleness with its own hue of yellow and orange causing darkness to withdraw silently as though fearing for its very life.

In a distance, a single cry of a child could be heard before the sound of sirens break the silence in which the competition is held. Mimicking nature's speed, the imposter claims an object as its own keeping those who oppose it at bay.

Little by little, it consumes the object and by the time the land is covered in nature's gold the once proud mansion of the country's high ranking officer has been reduced to nothing but its strong foundations charred beyond recognization and ashes.

Helplessly, the firefighters work their way among the debris with their hearts beating against their ribs afraid of what they might find and looking as if a corpse might jump out and welcome them in at any moment. The strong stench of burnt flesh hit them without warning causing two of the twelve to retreat.

Glancing about what used to be a luxurious dining room, they spot a child size platform right above their heads. Wondering what the late officer had had in mind, they called for a ladder in hushed tones while the forensic team announced the finding of two badly scorched adult bodies on the corridor upstairs.

Climbing the ladder carefully, Josh McDove, the leader of this early morning team nearly loosen his grip when he saw a young girl no older than ten clutching tightly to a brown teddy bear more than half her height.

"A…Ar…Are you alright?" He asked tentively, chiding himself the second the words left his lips. _Of course she isn't…is she even alive? How could anyone be? The fire destroyed everything! But why…_

"Josh, the detectives wants to know if you've seen the young daughter. They can't find her." The call of his colleague interrupted his one-sided conversation.

"I…I… think I've found her…but…there is one problem…"


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

It had been almost six years since that fateful day when he came face to face with the young girl who had survived the tragedy that had stolen everything from her. Being a firefighter, he had witnessed countless incidents but this was perhaps the most intriguing incident of all.

Setting a small bouquet of pure white flowers before the gravestone, Josh McDove bowed his head in silent prayer as the marble sculpted angel that stood on top of the gravestone looked on, as though to guard the owner of that particular grave.

A gentle night breeze blew across the silent moonlit cemetery before footsteps could be heard coming from the willow tree beside the family plot, attracting his attention. Just as the footsteps came to a stop behind him, he finished off his prayers with the hope that he wouldn't be mugged and killed although it would be rather ironic to die in such a place.

"Blodwens for a Blodwen," Came the comment from his suspected mugger before the world around him slipped into complete darkness.

XxXxX

A young man who looked to be in his late teens, grinned to himself at sight of his victim who was slumped on the ground when the file beside the man attracted his attention. Curious, he flipped it open only to have the subheading of an old newspaper clipping jump out at him.

'Young Daughter of High Ranking Officer Emerge from Fire Miraculously Unscathed'

With his interest on the subject piping, he scanned through the clipping before going to the next one which held the picture of a well dressed young girl kneeling in front of two caskets. The following clippings that were about the girl's parents held little interest to him until another subheading caught his attention.

'Vanishing Act? The only daughter of recently deceased high ranking political officer was last seen walking towards the site where it all began a day after her sudden collapse at the funeral service when she reportedly vanished into thin air. Police officers are currently searching for any clues regarding her whereabouts. '

Mindful that his victim might be regaining consciousness anytime soon, the young man laid the file back where it belonged and melted into the shadows of the night with the last newspaper clipping in his mind.

'Human or Phantom? After six months and countless reports on mysterious sightings of the ten year old girl, government officials have erected a place of rest for her within the Blodwen family plot in hopes to appease what is said to be her restless and wandering spirit. While family friends who knew her declared that she was once an angelic and happy _human_ child, the rest of us tend to question if there is more to her than meets the eye given all which have transpired and the fact that she was not biologically related to her parents.'

XxXxX Two weeks later in a different part of the world XxXxX

_'__To my Dear Anastasia__'_

"Oh, for heaven's sake... Not again! " I exclaimed under my breath, gently banging my head against my locker door. The loopy scrawl of multi coloured ink on the front of a plain white envelope was just barely visible through my clenched fist. Not for the first time, I wished with all my being that I could strangle the writer of the letter instead.

"I see your secret admirer has once again managed to slip the letter into your locker. Tell me, Anya, does it still contain the same things?" Someone asked, laughter barely hidden within their voice.

Turning to face the person next to me, I gave him a look of clear experation before slamming my locker shut. "The whole school knows who my so-called secret admirer is, Jeremy, and you can read the contents if you're so interested."

"Thank you…hmm, let's see...Yup, it's still the same old stuff that makes you feel like someone just shoved tons of honey down your throat making you wanna puke." Jeremy concluded crumpling up the note and dumping it into a nearby bin as we made our way to the school's parking lot.

"Doesn't the guy get the hint? I mean, the whole thing's been going on for almost four years and you would assume that it's long enough to get through any dense skull." I grumbled, climbing into his car.

Patting my head, he started up the engine and gave me a look that clearly said "Give the poor guy a chance."

Rolling my eyes, I turned my attention to the autumn view outside while my mind pondered upon the issue. Being two years older than I was, Jeremy was sort of like an elder brother to me in many ways considering that his parents had took me in all those years ago.

"Remind me again why a girl like you can't date someone like Gabriel Samuels who has been faithfully slipping love letters to you almost every fortnight for the past four years." Jeremy prodded.

"Faithful? It feels like I'm being stalked by Samuels most of the time!! Have you ever dreamt, Jere?" I asked quietly, pausing for a while to watch an old couple stroll along the sidewalk followed by a little boy with his parents before continuing, "Not the ones you get when you're sleeping, but the ones of a future?"

"So basically you're saying that you can't see Samuels in your future. So what? Look Anya, I'm not asking you to move all the way to Holland with the guy. Just go on one date with him and maybe he'll stop hounding you. Besides, I have a feeling that it's that mysterious aura around you that attracted him in the first place."

"I'll think about it."Was all I said as the car pulled to a stop at the entrance of my apartment building.

* * *

**A/N: Hmm not sure if anyone is still interested in this fic since it's been years, but hey...let me know, ok?**


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Tapping my pencil against the edge of my mathematics text book, I continued to stare at the same question which had been staring back at me for the past ten minutes. Frustrated at my lack of concentration and the nonstop wandering of my mind, I made my way to the balcony only to stop when the door bell rang.

Opening the door, I found a small plump man with a head of white hair and thick glasses wearing a shabby yellow suit consisting of a thin jacket and no overcoat smiling up at me.

"Ah, Miss Blodwen. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm your distant uncle – Desmond Tiny." The man said, offering his hand with a warm smile while the other fiddled with the heart shaped watch that hung by a chain from the front of his jacket.

Looking at him, I felt something nagging at the back of my mind warning me about this man who seemed quite friendly yet gave off the feeling of unknown. As I tilted my head slightly, I ignored his out stretched hand and gave him a slight smile. "Last time I checked, I had no living relatives what-so-ever. But I'm willing to listen to what you and your companions have to say."

"I'd rather have a sit since it wasn't easy tracking you down, Miss Blodwen. So if you don't mind," He beamed, making his way in before I could say a word.

Taking in the sight of the two behind Desmond Tiny, something told me that they were less than human while part of my mind wondered if adults had decided to do any early Halloween celebration.

The man had only a short crop of orange hair and was dressed in blood red robes complete with a cape as well as a pair of slippers which struck me as weird. The thing about him that caught my attention most was the long scar that ran down the left side of his face which he was stroking.

Beside him was a woman dressed in a simple t-shirt and khakis while her long dark hair was pulled back into a pony tail, providing an unobstructed view of her hard, weathered face.

"Let's get started since the night is still young and there are plenty of things to be done. As I said earlier, Miss Blodwen, I have been you looking out for your well being for quite a while until tonight. Larten Crepsley and Arra Sails here have been nice enough to accompany me to visit you."

Glancing at Larten who nodded his head in acknowledgement to me and Arra who merely eyed me coolly with her grey coloured eyes before leaning against the sliding doors to the balcony, I was given the impression that it would be harder to win her respect than it would be Larten's.

"Looking out for my well being?" I asked, returning my attention to the only person who was seated in my living room.

"Let's just say that I have found the perfect people to be your guardians." Desmond replied.

"I don't need anyone. I've been looking after myself for the last few years—" I began, but was interrupted.

"Guardians?" Larten and Arra barked at the same time.

"Why, of course," Desmond replied smoothly with a slight undertone of threat, "that's why I need both of you."

Silence settled heavily among us until it was broken by Arra. "This girl is but a mere child who is starting to grow—"

"I'm NOT a child! I'll be sixteen in two month's time!" I yelled at Arra who merely looked at me through slanted eyes.

"The Princes will not stand for this and as a General, neither do I." Larten stated curtly. "Besides that, we do not blood one until the person reaches an appropriate age."

"The girl will be blooded tonight." Desmond said, in a tone that left no arguing, "Now, I'd like to have a word with your guardians alone, Miss Blodwen."

With a shrug, I left for my bedroom. Closing the door behind me, the slight frown that I had been fighting off came on as my mind began to sort out everything that had happened. Larten and Arra seemed in humane, yet there were no such things as vampires. Were there? Maybe. Perhaps. If someone had told me years ago that the creatures of the night roamed the earth, I might have believed them but now…

As something cut through the air, I instinctively rolled off my bed to face Arra Sails. "You've got good reflexes, girl. Let's see if you can dodge this." The words barely left her lips when she swung something which would surely have done more damage than a light graze to my cheek had I not whip my head back in time.

"Just because you don't like me doesn't mean you have the right to kill me!" I shouted at her as she continued to swing whatever that was in her hands at me.

XxXxXx

"Arra, please stop. It is clear that the girl is not as spineless or weak as Desmond put her to be." Larten said, five minutes later although it seemed longer than that. "Miss Blodwen, may I have your full name?"

"Anastasia Blodwen," I replied, wincing at the slight damage to my bedroom. "Who and what are you guys actually?"

"Vampires, but we are not everything like what the stories say we are. Would you like to be one as well?" Arra questioned, putting away what I realized was a short sword.

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**A/N: To anyone who's reading this fic, thank you for reading even if you didn't review...**


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

"It's not like I have a choice in making that decision. But if you don't mind telling me, I'd like to know exactly _what_ Desmond Tiny is. I'm very sure that he is not a vampire and I don't know how to phrase this nicely but he gives me the creeps." 

"You are right when you say that he is not a vampire. Although it is certain that he delights in tragedies and sufferings, no one is certain what he really is – some say he is an agent in chaos, others say he is the controller of fate or more specifically, he is destiny itself as he likes people to call him Des. Tiny." Larten said.

"If you are going to ask why he demanded you to be blooded, we won't be able to give you an answer." Arra warned.

Shaking my head in reply, I glanced at the clock on my bedside, "I just wanted to know if we could continue this conversation over dinner."

"We shall be delighted to. She is turning out to be a great assistant, is she not?" Larten grinned at Arra, earning a smile in return. From the way both of them exchanged glances, I had a feeling that they shared more than just romantic feelings between them.

"Assistant?" I asked, while putting together a quick dinner. 

"In other words, a half-vampire who basically sees to their mentor or blooder's every need. In return, they are taught the ways of the vampires." Arra explained as I set the dishes on the dining table.

"You're not exactly very subtle are you? You've been looking at me for the last few minutes like I've grown an extra head or something, Larten." I pointed out after swallowing a bite.

"I apologize for the impoliteness, but you seem strangely familiar. Have we chanced a meeting somewhere before, Anastasia Blodwen?" Larten questioned, stroking his scar as he continued to study me.

"You met her an hour ago, Larten, or did you put your foot in your mouth again?"Arra chided the vampire.

With a slight frown, he shook his head. "It is not that. Although I am sure I have never been acquainted with her prior to this night, a part of my mind is insisting that I have seen her somewhere before."

"Maybe I look like someone you know?" I suggested before turning my attention to Arra. "Nice to know you respect me enough to eat my cooking."

"Be careful you don't lose that respect." She replied cagily, the corners of her mouth tugging up just the slightest.

XxXxXx

"We are neither immortal nor are we indestructible…we age as humans do but at a tenth of their rate. However, life as a vampire is not very appealing to most people as it means giving up most of your human dreams."

The peaceful countenance of the darkness was disrupted by the loud whispers of the giant oak trees as the winds began to pick up. Pulling my jacket tighter around my body to prevent the worse of the autumn chill from seeping through, I recalled what Arra had archly thrown at me before I left my apartment ten minutes ago to sort out my thoughts and knowledge about the issue.

Pushing back a few strands of hair that managed to escape the confines of my ribbon, I watch as the fallen leaves danced across the bridged lake before me. It was as though they were mourning their fate of falling and eventually decaying yet at the same time clinging onto the little moment freedom that they had before settling sadly but gracefully onto the lake's surface.

Fate. Although I had occasionally flipped through stuffs like horoscopes, I never actually believed in it. After all, someone once told me that I had the power to create my own future and I should never let destiny rule over me. If that was so, than what was it with the order from Desmond or as Larten had called him—Des. Tiny?

It was clear that I would be a creature of the night before dawn approached and I wasn't really bothered about the fact. But could I give up my dreams so readily after coming this far? 

"A dark, deserted park like this isn't a very safe place for a girl to be, especially if she is out here all by herself." A voice said from behind, startling me out of my thoughts.

"I suppose so." I answered slowly, doing my best to keep my cool despite nearly jumping out of my skin and fought back the urge to face the speaker, knowing it might just be the last thing I do.

"You have been here for quite a while, wouldn't your parents worry?" He asked, coming closer to where I stood.

"You're right. If you don't mind, I should get going." I replied, hurrying off just as I felt the ribbon slip from my hair with a light tug from behind.

XxXxXx The mysterious young man's POV XxXxXx

"Another victim gone," I sighed mournfully, playing with the translucent blue ribbon in my hand as my gaze lingered on the retreating figure of the girl.

"Now that you've let her go, she will be mine to claim and the next time you see her she will be nothing more than a bloodless corpse, you fool of a vampire." Someone hissed from the branches above.

"We shall see about that, vampaneze." I smiled, strolling away in search of a new victim.

XxXxXx Anastasia's POV XxXxXx

"This has got to be the longest and most eventful night in my life!" I mumbled, running a hand through my windswept hair. The minute I reached home, I had dropped onto my couch and ignored the mystified looks my soon to be guardians gave me. "Can we get started with the 'blooding' thing? Just because I'm a creature of the night doesn't mean that I am allowed to skip my classes tomorrow morning."

Nodding her head, the vampiress took my left hand and used her sharp nails to make a cut on my wrist. "What are you doing?" I asked watching as she brought my wound to her mouth.

"Even though Desmond said to blood you with no questions asked, we have to ensure that your blood is pure before we proceed." Larten explained.

"Why?" I asked, trying to ignore the weird sensation of having my blood sucked and the knowledge that it was being tasted like some kind of wine vintage.

" We are not evil creatures so we do not blood anyone whose blood has been tainted and also some humans carry blood which may cause ill-effects – " The explanation was interrupted when Arra spat out the mouthful of blood.

"What was that for?" I grumbled, eyeing the freshly stained rug.

"Larten, her blood…" the vampiress trailed off, allowing the orange haired vampire to draw some into his mouth only to have him spit it out as well.

As both of them exchanged worried glances, I blurted in the most sarcastic tone that I could come up with, "In case anyone bothers, I'm dripping precious mercury all over the rug here and may die of blood loss sooner or later. At least I won't have to worry about sending that rug to the dry cleaners tomorrow."

"Nonsense." Larten sniffed before he closed up the wound with his spit.

Studying the barely visible scar with fascination, I silently wondered if there was some kind of healing germs in his saliva. However, before I could even question either of them, Arra tilted my head to the right while Larten looked at my fingertips.

"Can one of you be kind enough to tell me what is going on? I feel like I'm on some kind of animal on the display window." I laughed nervously, slightly unnerved by their actions.

"Your blood tastes unusual." Arra said softly.

"What's that suppose to mean?" I demanded, looking at the both of them.

"Even though she still needs to be marked, Desmond did say to inject both our blood into her rather than using the fingertip method to blood her." Larten reasoned, keeping his glance on Arra.

"We will explain it to you tomorrow when we figure most of it out between ourselves. Right now, it is important that we do as ordered. So hold still, Anastasia." Arra requested before she and Larten pressed their sharp nails to the tips of my fingers. While they allowed the bleeding to continue for a second before closing up the wounds, to create the mark of a vampire, I suddenly bolted out of my seat when I recalled what the vampire had said. 

"Sit down, Anastasia!" 

I shook my head stubbornly at the both of them, "Nuh-uh. I am not going anywhere near a syringe if I can help it."

"Charna's Guts! Come back here or by the vampire gods, I will have you gagged and tied up just to prevent further trouble." Arra threatened, pointing two blood-filled syringes at me.

* * *

**A/N: As usual, thank you for reading even if you didn't review and I hope it's not too boring...**


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

For a moment, I lay where I was and stared at the ceiling of my bedroom while my mind tried to piece together the events which had occurred earlier. I could vaguely recall feeling as though my insides were being torn apart after the vampiric blood was injected into my bloodstream before collapsing.

"Glad to know that you're so determined to live." Arra's voice came from my bedside.

"What happened?" I asked, sitting up with a slight wince as a wave of dizziness rushed over me.

"You nearly died." Larten said bluntly, from the doorway. "Apparently there was something in your blood that tried to counter and absorb the vampiric cells at the same time. If you had not woken up by dawn, it would be clear that you were as good as a living dead."

"Get some rest and be grateful that you got lucky this time." Arra said, closing the door behind them.

Burying my face into the brown fur of my teddy bear, I echoed softly, "Lucky Anya escaped with her life once again."

**XxXxXx**

"Anya! Hey, Anya! Wait up!"

Moving aside to avoid the steady rush of hungry students as they trekked towards the ever noisy cafeteria, I waited for Jeremy to catch up.

"Something's off about you today," he started as we joined the queue. " I saw you in between classes and you looked kinda sick."

I breathed out a sigh of relief when I heard him complete his sentence. For a second, I seriously thought that he had found out what I had become.

"Just suffering from a mild headache," I answered honestly. Even though my guardians had informed me that I wouldn't feel any of the effects so soon, I had spent half the morning trying to pay attention to what was being taught in my own class and not the ones two doors down.

Grabbing a seat under the shades of a tree outside the cafeteria and away from most of the noise, I prodded at the unidentified lump that was supposed to be my lunch.

"I think there's more to it than just a mild headache, you're a bit too preoccupied. By the way, are you going to eat your duck risotto?"

"I'll swap the risotto for you vegetables and don't talk with your mouth full, Jere. It's disgusting and ungentlemanly," I retorted good naturally while adding in my mind, _'you'd be a tad bit preoccupied too if some lunatic stole your favorite hair ribbon.'_

Pulling a face at me, he proceeded to wolf down my share of the lumpy looking rice. "Has Samuels gotten hold of you yet?"

"No. Why would he – speak of the devil…" I groaned, watching the soccer player stride towards us with a suspicious looking envelope in his hand.

"Cortez! How ya doing, man? Coming to watch the final rehearsal for the play after school?" Without waiting for a reply from Jeremy, he held out the envelope to me. " Anastasia, would you do me the honor of being my date at the upcoming Halloween masquerade ball?"

"She would love to!" Jeremy exclaimed before the words of rejection could even take form on my tongue. "Of course, you'll have to swear not to send her anymore love letters declaring your endless love, invade her personal space, make inappropriate moves on her and most importantly – do _NOT _kiss her!"

**XxXxXx**

"Why did you have to play match maker?" I growled, waving my script at Jeremy. "The guy's been announcing to every living creature – and I quote – 'Anastasia was so happy to be my date that she fainted with joy!' "

"Now, now, there's nothing to be embarrassed about, _darling_. After all, with your looks you should have at least a quarter of the school's male population in line at your doorstep waiting for a date," A voice literally coated with syrupy sugar said.

Whirling around in my costume, I glared at the speaker. "Nobody asked for your opinion, _Regina_ and unlike you, I don't go around kissing half the male population just because they think I look pretty. Oh, and it almost slipped my mind, _darling_, but are you going to the masquerade ball as a devil? Because I'm sure you wouldn't need to dress up."

"Regina got me wondering, what exactly _did _you do with that group of admirers?" Jeremy asked curiously, as I watched the raven haired girl stormed off.

"I'm not that pretty…" I mumbled before adding nonchalantly, "Besides, I just gave them the same guidelines that you gave Gabriel and threatened to drink their blood." Hurrying off towards the stage when I realized my slip of tongue.

**XxXxXx The mysterious young man's POV XxXxXx**

I tentatively reached out a hand to gently brush aside a lock of silver blonde hair that had fallen across her face, the tips of my fingers brushing against her achingly soft skin as I did so. Kneeling this close to her, I noted with great satisfaction that her left cheek was yet to be marked by the vampaneze who had been so eager to drain her life force from her two nights ago. This was the first time I had managed to take a good look at her without any interruptions and I had to admit that there was something about her that made her beautiful and yet mysterious at the same time.

Perhaps it was the hidden emotions that swirled within those enticing sapphire blue eyes which I had managed to catch a glimpse of before the knockout gas that I had breathed over her came into effect that tugged at my soul to know more about her, to shelter her from all evil and to stay by her side even though she was only human.

The scent in the wind alerted me of the vampaneze's presence before the sound of footsteps stepping upon dried leaves came from behind. Unsheathing my knife, I turned around to face the purpled skin creature. "You'll have to get pass me if you want her," I growled.

His eyebrows knitted into a frown as he studied the unconscious girl for a split second before darting forwards and knocking me out of the way. "Was this some kind of underhanded trap to lure us vampaneze against your kind just so you could finish off the war that started centuries ago?" He spat, pointing at her.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I replied, thoroughly confused by his accusation while he eyed me with a red eye.

"You seem to be telling the truth. Very well, I shall leave her be," the vampaneze said grudgingly, melting into the shadows of the evening.

Puzzled, I lifted her hands and turned them over to find ten scars so like my own staring up at me. Understanding began to dawn when I realized that she must have been blooded quite recently since I had not been able to detect the scent of vampire blood from her earlier. "Seems like my wish may be granted after all," I chuckled, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against her forehead. "Rest well, angel, for we shall meet again."

**XxXxXx Anastasia's POV XxXxXx**

It has been three nights since I accidentally fell asleep at the park yet I still couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched. However unnerving it was, I took little comfort in the fact that at least it didn't feel the slightest bit malicious. Another funny thing to add into the puzzling issue was the presents that started turning up every night and morning at my doorstep without fail. After enduring a whole day of teasing, I had managed to corner Jeremy into giving me a list of anyone who might be behind it but somehow I had a hunch that both incidents were connected to the same person.

"Are you listening to me, Anastasia?" Arra sighed, putting a hand on her hip.

"Sorry, I was thinking of something else." I apologized, focusing my attention back to my lessons on the ways of vampires. "Just call me Anya since I'm going to be stuck with you guys for a long time – not that it's a bad thing!" I added hurriedly when both my guardians raised their eyebrows questioningly.

"Thinking of someone you are romantically involved at the moment or your mystery admirer?" Larten grinned, turning his head towards the door just as the doorbell rang.

"I'm not seeing anyone and I never have," I blurted out, hurrying with my half vampiric speed to open the door in hopes of catching a glimpse of my so called mystery admirer. Unfortunately, I was only greeted by an empty corridor and another gift which like the rest was in all honesty simple yet sweet. Carrying the box of muffins into the threshold, I caught my guardians sharing a look between them. "What?"

Larten cleared his throat, "We are leaving for Vampire Mountain next week and you need to be presented to the Council of Vampire Generals. I doubt we shall be returning after this since you would be _stuck_ with us until you come of age."

"I understand. I'll get everything done by the end of next week and hopefully trace down the person who's been dropping the gifts," I replied, heading for my room.

"About that, we have an idea who it is but we won't let you know until you tell us why you don't seem to be bothered by the fact that you're leaving humanity and those around you behind," Arra said in a surprisingly soft voice that made me pause before my door.

"Tears will not change the past…Besides, there are times when I feel that I belong in another world." I whispered, staring straight ahead.

* * *

**A/N: Happy Easter Holidays!! Thank you for taking the time to read even if you don't review...**


	6. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_**

**XxXxXx The mysterious young man's POV XxXxXx**

From where I stood, I easily caught snippets of the various conversations that were floating around the viewing chamber of the theater hall which was packed full of humans eagerly anticipating the start of the play while my eyes scanned the crowd for a certain someone. With mild surprised amusement, I noted that Larten Crepsley and Arra Sails were also amongst the crowd.

Unable to find my precious angel, I turned to look backstage which was a lot more chaotic with all the last minute preparation and shouting. Finally spotting her sitting quietly in a corner, I started to make my way forwards from the shadows but was stop short when a hand tug at my shirt none too gently from behind.

"I wouldn't make a move if I were you, Sir. The show's starting in five minutes and I believe that will be enough time for the both of us to have a good talk." The person hissed, pulling me deeper into the shadows.

With a sigh, I held my hands up in calm surrender. "Would you mind letting go of my shirt? It's kind of hard to talk when you're being man-handled."

"Not until you tell me what are your true intentions towards Anya. I've seen you hanging around her lately, especially at night."

"Anya?" I asked, silently thinking to myself that it was such a sweet name before my so-called captor spun me around.

Rolling his brown eyes, he snapped, "Yes. _Anya_. Stop playing dumb, buddy. That's the name of the girl you've been watching and dropping mystery gifts to – don't tell me you didn't even know her name!"

Smiling sheepishly, I nodded my head at the human teenager who could only stare back at me in stunned shock. If my mentor or weapons tutor were here, I had no doubt they would be howling with laughter at my expanse while I melted into a pool of embarrassment at their feet. "You're not her boyfriend are you?" I questioned in an attempt to change the subject.

"Obviously not," he sniffed. "However, I'm a very close friend of hers and I have the right to scan through any potential suitors. Come to think of it, you are very different from the other guys…" He trailed off when someone yelled for him. "We will continue this some other time, see you around."

"See you around, Jeremy Cortez. It was nice talking to you." I grinned, leaving the theater to meet a friend.

**XxXxXx Anastasia's POV XxXxXx**

Mindful of my sharp nails, I held down the front of my fluttering skirt with a hand when a gust of particularly strong wind blew my way. Shivering slightly from nervousness and not the lack of warmth, I wondered for the hundredth time why how I had managed to end up in such a place and position. It was now about an hour away from midnight and earlier on I had managed slipped away from the post performance party the second I witnessed a couple of seniors spiking the drinks with two bottles of Bacardi and something that looked like triple distilled Vodka.

Grateful that my long hair was tied up and not flying all over my face due to the wind, I leaned back and hummed softly in an effort to ward off the boredom of being handcuffed to a lonely lamp post near the edge of a dark alleyway for the past five minutes. Had I been a full vampiress, I would have easily snapped the chains from my wrist without any problem but with only half the abilities, a dislocated shoulder was probably in order. Looking up sharply when I heard footsteps coming my way, I called out in the most helpless and tearful voice I could manage while suppressing the urge to shudder at the sight of an unshaven, thick set man with piggy eyes that had an unsettling gleam in them.

"Hi there, pretty." He drawled, coming to a stop with his back towards the alleyway. "Don't you know it's not safe for you to be here all alone?"

'_Ha, I seem to be hearing an awful lot of that sentence this week,' _I thought before replying that I was waiting for someone.

"A customer?" The man asked, lifting a pudgy hand towards me. "I could keep you company until he turns up."

'_Huh? What customer?'_ I wondered sidestepping his hand just as a blur of red came crashing into the man from behind. "It was about time you guys decided to turn up," I grumbled at my guardians.

"But you were putting on such a wonderful show, Anya, far marvelous than the one in the theater." Larten smiled at me while Arra bend down to examine the unconscious man.

"Please undo the handcuff you put on me. That's the first and last time I'm playing 'bait' for the both of you, it's a nasty experience." I narrowed my eyes when both vampire and vampiress grinned at me. "Now what?"

Putting his hands up as though to calm whatever words I was going to say, Larten explained with what seem to be a sorrowful look, "I do not have the key."

"That's not the slightest bit amusing," I deadpanned, tugging at the cuff.

"He's serious, Anya. I'm afraid you'll just have to stand there and watch us feed – this way, you won't be able to run off like the last time." Arra said before cutting open a vein with her nails and feeding from it while Larten waited for his turn.

"Didn't I tell you five nights ago that places like these are unsafe for you?" A very familiar voice sighed from behind.

"I don't think I have to worry about that since you seem to have taken a liking to hang around me for the past four nights," I retorted, twisting around to face the speaker. Dressed in a light blue T shirt to match his blue eyes which held a twinkle of a smile and a head of blond hair, for the first time in my life, I was rendered speechless by a guy who looked positively cuter than any living male I had ever come across.

"Like what you see?" He winked at me, a smile lifting the corner of his lips.

"I'd like my hair ribbon back, thank you." I blurted out the first thing that came to my blank mind.

The sound of fingers snapping drew my attention away from him and towards my freed wrist whilst the handcuffs disappeared into Larten's robes in a flash. "Kurda, what are your designs towards our dear Anastasia Blodwen."

"Anastasia Blodwen…your name rings a bell, I think I came across it somewhere…" He muttered with a slight frown before shaking his head slightly as though to shake the thought away. "I just figured it's about time I introduced myself before I _regret ever laying eyes on Anya_."

"Glad to see you got my letter of thanks, I wasn't sure if the gifts I had been receiving lately were from some lunatic or a vampire." I replied, raising an eyebrow at him in faked astonishment before adding off-handedly, "Larten and Arra told me."

"No offence but speaking of which, isn't she too young to be blooded not to mention she's a female to boot?" Kurda enquired.

"We do not answer to you, Kurda Smahlt." Arra growled, giving me the feeling that she didn't think very highly of him despite the smile that was not far from his features. "Just say your good nights and meet her some other time – Anya needs her rest."

I let out a giggle when he pulled a face and mouthed 'spoilsport' behind Arra's back. "Well, I guess I had better be off. Larten, Arra." He nodded at them and reached out to pull me a short distance away from my guardians. "Could I drop by your place Tuesday evening around six? We could go for dinner and perhaps get to know each other a bit better, since I seem to be doing this in the wrong order."

"I'd like that," I smiled shyly before bidding him good night and watching him stroll off into the night. "Kurda's nice," I remarked turning back to look at my guardians.

"And you like him," Arra grinned while I kept my silence, wondering what on earth had possessed me to act the way I had tonight.

**XxXxXx**

Blood. I stared at the glass that was half full with fresh red liquid before me, its metallic scent both repulsing and attracting. For the past two attempts, I had managed to successfully escape drinking it but with my guardians nagging at me every night about how blood was vital if I wanted to stay healthy and not look like some mummified creature, I eventually gave in after Kurda (who had swung by late last night with another gift in hand) confirmed that Arra's ageing threat was true. Wrinkling my nose in slight distaste, I lifted the glass to my lips for a sip but once a trickle of the refreshing liquid flowed down my throat, the entire content of the glass was downed without a pause.

From a distance, lightning flashed across the sky as thunder rumbled through the air declaring the coming of the thunderstorm which had been brewing since I awoke at noon. As rain started to tumble out of the sky in torrents, I gazed out of the glass doors that led to the balcony and amused myself with the thought of Larten and Arra huddled together under a large umbrella at some sidewalk café sipping hot drinks.

My mind wandered back to Kurda and while I had to admit that he was awfully good-looking and sweet for a vampire, I couldn't help but note that he was starting to evoke certain emotions that I would prefer not to dwell upon. Pinching the bridge of my nose to ward off anymore thoughts, I did a double-take when I saw him standing on the balcony soaked from head to toe.

"I didn't realize I was that transparent," he grinned the moment he entered the threshold.

"Haven't you heard of using the stairs or even the elevator? How'd you manage to scale all the way up here anyway?" I asked, tossing a thick towel at him while reaching over to turn on the heater that was next to him.

"Are you trying to roast me alive?!" he yelped, jumping aside when I accidentally hit the full blast button. "I figured it was quicker to climb up using my nails just to warn you that some high school kid who looks like an athlete is on his way up."

I turned to look at him, "Sorry about that-- so about the high school kid, how'd you know he was coming to see me? Might be someone who lives in the same building for all I care."

"Unless everyone in this building has a grudge against you for some odd reason or the other, I'm fairly certain he's an acquaintance of yours since he _was_ cursing your name and muttering all kind of threats against you." The vampire explained, toweling himself dry.

"I think you had better go take a bath," I suggested, pushing him towards the inner part of my unit just as someone pounded on my front door. Certain that Kurda and my empty glass had disappeared into the bathroom; I opened the door to find Gabriel Samuels with an expression that could rival the weather outside.

* * *

**A/N: Hope none of you kicked youself over Kurda's identity XD I wasn't sure if his hair was blond or dirty blond (the book used both so I'll just follow) Once again, Thank you for taking the time to read even if you don't review...**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Where is that blond haired senior you've been going out with behind my back, Anastasia?" he growled, storming into the living room.

"I didn't know we were supposed to be dating." I stated, silently wondering what grievous deed I had committed to provoke such anger.

"Don't you dare start playing coy with me," Gabriel spat, marching straight towards the narrow corridor which led to the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Just what do you think you are doing? I don't recall giving you the permission to invade my personal life!"

"If you're hiding him in there just admit it. Are you afraid that the entire school will know that you are a two-timing, shameless twit who has been living in with some guy behind my back?" He retorted, glaring at me.

"Watch your language and unwarranted accusations, Gabriel Samuels." I snapped while keeping a tight rein on my temper that was very close to erupting, "Just because I agreed to go to a dance with you does not make you my keeper."

Before I could even contemplate what had happened, the back of my head had become rather acquainted with the bathroom door. "You still don't get it do you? Without any parents or family, you belong completely to me!" He shouted, digging all ten fingers deeper into my shoulders. "Didn't I tell you as much in each of my letters how much I love you?"

Wincing in slight pain, I arched an eyebrow at him, "With the way you practically memorized my every schedule, I would think it's more of stalking than love. I've told you before that while it was very sweet of you, those letters of yours were nothing more than rewrites of love letters you've copied from books and I am not interested in anyone at the moment. Also, keep this in mind because I will not repeat myself – I belong to no one."

**XxXxXx Kurda's POV XxXxXx**

I sat against the door silently debating with my conscience if it was alright for me to be listening to what seems suspiciously like a building argument. I could not help but wonder how that human boy was related to Anya since I was rather certain that she wasn't dating anyone and before my thoughts could get any further, I instinctively grimaced at the sound of something hitting the door. My hopes that it was Anya who shoved the boy into the door in a fit of anger went swirling down the bathroom pipes when I realized that her voice was much closer to the other side of the door.

After five minutes of hearing the front door slam shut twice and what sounded suspiciously like a sniffle, I let myself out and hurried off into the rain in search of my crying angel.

"Just because you are a half vampire doesn't make you completely immune to colds," I commented in a soft voice as I draped a raincoat over her hunched form.

"Leave me alone," She snapped, not moving her forehead from where it was propped against her knees.

With a sigh, I settled down next to her. "Just let me know if you need to talk about it or if your head still hurts."

"Promise…you won't tell?" Anya whispered questioningly about half an hour later, shifting her head sideways to peer at me with those sapphire blue eyes of hers which were currently filled with pain and unshed tears.

"I'll bring it to my grave," I swore, drawing a cross on my left forearm with a sharp finger nail.

**XxXx Anastasia's POV XxXx**

"You didn't have to go and scrap yourself," I muttered ruefully, gently tracing the fresh scar. "You must have heard most of the fiesta since you figured that the back of my head had a run-in with the bathroom door."

"Better a small run-in than going through the door and getting splinters sticking out of your head," the vampire chirped, pulling a face that made me smile a little.

Leaning back against the tree trunk, I kept my gaze locked into the horizon and continued on. "On the whole, I'm without a date for the dance – not that it matters much, but the things that Gabriel said really hurt…especially about the fact that I'm an orphan… But after years of being alone, it really is wonderful to have someone…watching over me again and for that I really am grateful to Arra and Larten, even though Tiny was the one who gave the orders."

"It was horrible…that night," I whispered, closing my eyes as every detail of the terrible nightmare that shredded my picture perfect life to pieces nearly six years ago came flooding back like a wave. _Pale blue and orange flames greedily engulfed the entire mansion without mercy, prompting screams and panicked shouts that filled the household as the blaze continued destroying and robbing each thread of happiness and memory that build up the foundation of my childhood… _

I broke off, even after all these years, I was still unable to explain the mystery of my survival or to comprehend why I managed to survived the whole incident physically unscathed even when the fire had clearly swallowed me.

"Blodwen…Anastasia Blodwen -- You and that teddy bear of yours were the only ones to have survived the entire incident without even a single strand of singed hair, am I right? And if I remember correctly, your adoptive father was a high ranking political officer."

My eyes instantly snapped open as I twisted slightly to stare at the vampire beside me who had the look of one who had just managed to piece together something from a past memory. "How did you know about that? I'm sure I didn't say anything about papa or teddy."

"You left behind some sort of a mystery back in your hometown," He grinned before adding, "If you are lucky, the people there might want to keep you in a lab for the next ten to thirty years just to experiment on you to find out how you 'vanished'."

Wondering if the guy had even the slightest bit of empathy in him, I stared at him for a split second prior to replying dryly, "Thanks, but I prefer to make the most of my life and I don't really enjoy the idea of being shut into a cold glass case like some lab rat."

"In that case, we had better get moving or we'll be late for the picnic-dinner." Kurda proclaimed, pushing himself off the wet ground.

"A picnic-dinner? What about a change of dry clothes?"

"I'm glad you asked because you'll find out in a moment. Excuse my actions." With that said, he took hold of my hand and in a swift yet gentle movement lifted me into his arms.

**A/N: Sorry for the very short chp...**


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